Kansas State Provides True Litmus Test

It might’ve been the most disheartening loss last season. A week after upsetting Ohio State in Miami, Kansas State rolled in and stole one.

It was late September and UM was 1-1 after falling week one at Maryland, where several suspensions took their toll. Still ‘The U’ rebounded and whooped the Buckeyes, 24-6.

It marked the first ‘Canes Walk’ of the Al Golden era, fans lining up early to get rowdy and welcoming Miami into Sun Life for the home opener. Nationally televised night game on ESPN and UM delivered, thumping OSU.

The Wildcats rolled in a bit unheralded. A surprise team last year, the win over the Canes truly put KSU on the map in 2011 as the previous opponents – Eastern Kentucky and Kent State – were less than impressive.

Kansas State wrapped the season 10-3, losing to Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. After rolling to a 7-0 start, including a thriller over Baylor, back-to-back losses came at the hands of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, with the Sooners rolling, 52-17 in Manhattan.

The Wildcats are definitely on the radar this year, entering the season in the top 25 and are a touchdown favorite when hosting the Hurricanes this weekend at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Also in their favor, the fact they’re returning the core of the team who fought till the finish – thwarting a Miami comeback with a goal line stand on 4th-and-1 in the 28-24 thriller.

Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein is a Heisman candidate and again, made his name against the Canes last year with a gritty performance. What he lacked in a stable of receivers, he made up for with precise throws and great decision making, as well as his feet.

Klein rushed for 93 yards and a score in 22 attempts, while going a respectable 12-of-18 through the air for 133. Two of those completions were touchdown passes, as well.

Also returning, running back John Hubert, who carried 18 times for 166 yards and a score. Hubert stuck a dagger in the Canes early in the fourth quarter last season. Miami had taken a 24-21 lead and facing a 3rd-and-1 from the KSU twenty-nine, Hubert tore off a back-breaking forty-seven yard run.

Five plays later he capped it off with a two-yard plunge on 1st-and-Goal, putting the Wildcats ahead for good.

Late in the third Miami found itself down 21-10, but fought back. Lamar Miller broke off a 59-yard touchdown run in the final minutes of the quarter and after a quick three-and-out by the Kansas State offense, Jacory Harris found Travis Benjamin for a 34-yard score, giving the Canes a short-lived lead.

Harris was most-remembered for coming up one yard short on Miami’s final offensive play, keeping the Canes from the game winner, as well as not completing a first down pass to tight end Clive Walford, which was a little low. Still, the senior had a strong game regardless of some fans’ selective memories.

Harris was 21-of-31 for 272 yards in the loss. He threw for two touchdowns and had one interception.

In hindsight, this was a game where Miami simply came in unprepared and didn’t know how to deal with success. Even when down, there still seemed a sense that the Canes would find a way, be it a defensive stand or a wake-up call on offense – and in the end, fell one yard short of just that.

No one was afraid of Kansas State at that point of the season, Klein and Hubert were relative unknowns and the pace of this game was lackluster from the get-go – right down to the supposed 43,786 in attendance, sitting on their hands most of the day. A true home field advantage the Canes had not.

Seems there’s the opposite mindset entering Saturday’s showdown in Manhattan. Kansas State almost seems over-revered. CBS Sports’ Tony Barnhart picked the Wildcats to “win big” over the Canes and amongst both fan bases, some overconfident KSU folk while the U Family is understandably gun-shy with such a young team heading into a hostile road environment.

Coaching was the key last year – both in scheming and in execution – and to that point, Bill Snyder seemed to get more out of his group. The play calling. The execution. The desire.

Most notably, the way Klein was used as an all-everything. Threw long, threw short, buried his head and ran like a running back, optioned, scrambled and played all day one step ahead of the Canes’ defense. Klein was a one-man wrecking crew.

Three games into the Golden era, this was clearly not yet Al’s team. Thirty-plus less freshmen who arrived half a year after this loss – a handful of which were directly responsible for the win at Boston College last week.

More important, there was still a lack of understanding and no true buy-in on Golden’s “process”. Players might’ve heard the message, but were yet to start living it. That took a 6-6 run, a missed bowl and a grueling off-season with ‘U-Tough’ conditioning to let it all sink in and get to an applicable point.

“The Process” was truly underway last weekend in Chestnut Hill. Down 14-0 year, Miami never quit. Guys stayed positive, worked hard, executed and scrapped their way back to a 41-32 victory. Veterans did their job while young guys fell in line, fearlessly.

The Canes still gave up too many yards, but made the big plays when needed. An pick-six. A couple of forced fumbles. Some big third- and fourth-down stands – all in the face of adversity.

Offensively, there was a clear game plan. Quick tempo. Get the ball in playmakers’ hands. Keep the defense off-balance.

Make no mistake, Miami will lose its share of games this year, but there was noticeable improvement and it’s not out of line to think that the Hurricanes will surprise some of those with low predictions.

Klein is the key to Saturday’s showdown. That’s no mystery. He’s going to get his, just as he did last year – but Miami will get theirs, as well. Especially if Jedd Fisch keeps calling plays that work to this offense’s strengths. The Canes’ offensive line came off mature and solid last week and another effort like that is necessary for any shot at a win this weekend.

So much has been made about Klein and Kansas State’s offense last year, but truth be told, Miami’s only struggles in the loss were mostly self-inflicted. The Wildcats’ defense had their moments, but were hardly dominant as the Harris-led Canes amassed 411 yards, after sleepwalking through the first half and falling into a 14-3 hole.

Stats-wise, Miami turned it over once last year while Kansas State was inexplicably mistake-free. KSU dominated on the ground with 272 rushing yards to UM’s 139.

The teams were near even penalty-wise (UM 4-30, KSU 6-51) and with first downs (UM 18, KSU 16) but the most glaring stat was time-of-possession, which the Wildcats owned, 33:23 to 26:37.

Miami had similar numbers in the win at Boston College last week, with the Eagles owning TOP 33:39 to 26:21, due to UM’s fast-tempo, no-huddle offense. Unfortunately this weekend, that means more reps for a Wildcats’ offense that proved unstoppable last year.

Seems that so much of the energy going into this year’s contest is based on the simple fact that Kansas State won, Miami lost and that Klein had an all-world showing that late September afternoon in South Florida.

Had Harris gotten that one final yard late – or hit Walford in stride – Miami wins 31-28, completed a solid comeback and maybe has a different season, with a better feel how to close when teams like Virginia Tech came down the pike.

Instead the storyline was gritty quarterback’s “Tebowesque” performance – complete with unnecessary jump pass to a tight end for a score – and a kids that took a licking and kept on ticking.

Different year, different story and for that matter, some different players which can make all the difference in the world.

The worst thing for Kansas State was Miami getting down last week and coming back to win. Boston College went up quick and could’ve completed demoralized the Canes. Everything Golden preached all season, could’ve come undone – especially with a young team.

That’s not to say Golden and his staff couldn’t have built it back up over time, but most likely wouldn’t have been able to in six days, heading into another road game.

Instead the comeback gave the Canes new life. It allowed new stars to be born. It took a young group of guys who had done nothing more than practice together and turned them into a bonafide team.

Alas, Miami will stumble this season – and it could come as early as this weekend – but riding high off the comeback win and feeling invincible in the sense that everything Coach has been preaching since spring ball came true when they executed last weekend, the Canes enter this Saturday’s contest a different team – and program – than the ones the Wildcats faced a year ago.

On paper, you have to go with Kansas State. Their house. Some rowdy fans. Heisman-worthy quarterback. More experience. That said, both the Wildcats and Hurricanes have their defensive woes and as long as this Miami offense keeps grinding it out and scoring points, this UM team can absolutely go toe-to-toe.

Did we mention a high of 83 degrees in Manhattan on Saturday? Bodes well for a Canes squad in much better shape than last season, physically, as well as mentally.

This is an early-season challenge for Miami with tremendous upside. Win and it’s 2-0 with Bethune-Cookman on deck and a lot of critics proven wrong. Lose and it’s an out of conference game, leaving things 1-0 in the ACC and with a lesser opponent next week to work out the kinks before conference play really gets underway.

If this showdown were Florida State in Tallahassee or Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, the call might be different, but these 1-0, don’t-yet-know-better, ‘Comeback Canes’ deserve the benefit of the doubt going into this weekend – especially from a UM-themed site – until proven otherwise. (Or maybe that’s just the latest episode of ‘Raising Canes’ talking.)

36 thoughts on “Kansas State Provides True Litmus Test”

As a Cane Fan, I believe our # 1 concern should be ex-Cane Arthur “The Fireman” Brown. I’m much more concerned with the impact that Arthur could have in this game than I am Collin Klein. Last year against Miami, Arthur played like a man possessed. I’m afraid that Arthur might end Duke Johnson’s freshman year if he gets a clean shot @ him!!!

Let’s see if Coach Do’nof actually calls a good defensive game against K-state and not have Klein look like a Heisman candidate as Chase Rettig did last week. He knows their offense having played them last year, so HOPEFULLY he will be able to stop or at least slow them down since there is familiarity. I see a theme with every game that the defense will be a liability bc of his schemes. I hope I am proven wrong. GO CANES!!

I’m not a betting man, but 7 points seems like a lot to me and is frankly, an insult. K State is only #21 and Miami received votes. I don’t think K State is a touchdown better team than Miami. Anyway, I’m not really worried about our offense. We will get ours. This game will come down to the defense, and getting off the field. When Klein decides to run the ball we have to punish him with big hits, swarming to the ball. We can’t have our backs to him and let him get big gains. It’s going to come down to better communication, tackling and getting off the field on 3rd down. I don’t see why we can’t get the job done against this K State team that isn’t anything special. Last year was last year and this year is this year. We know what to expect. The U 37 K State 34

Golden’s upstart, offensive squad absol-U-tely must CONTROL T.O.P. ( Time of possesion. Eh. ) to have an excellant shot of winning their second consecutive road game. And the Hurricanes have the O-line to run clock and what not, i.e. protecting Stevie Morris. No not Stevie Nicks. LOL

Also, it would help the Canes cause IF the D-unit gets at least one turnover. If not two or three on Saturday early A.M. . However, that will be a bery, bery difficult task, because Snyder’s teams have a history of ‘ protecting ‘ the pigskin. If U know what I mean.

Finally, I’m not worried about Miami’s special teams. It’s that D’ Onofrio’s ‘ cow field ‘tactics that STILL has moi confused. As if I have enough personal confusion in my ego to deal with. dUh. And losing Robinson absolutely doesn’t help Cane defensive matters one iota.

Bottom line is Kansas St LOOKED ahead to their game , last Saturday, with The Golden One’s squad and I do believe the major college football deities will shine favorably light on Miami, F-L-A tomorrow.

Definitely going to be a 5-7 year project getting this team back to respectability. Would have been less without sanctions, but this team is every bit as bad as the team Butch Davis was saddled with that went 4-6 before starting to win again. After this beatdown, we’ll be lucky to win four this season as well. The defense is simply non-existent and isn’t improving at all. Gonna lose by 50 to FSU this year.

1. I went on record back in early June and stated with absol-U-tly certainty, that the Hurricanes would be a 7-5 squad in 2012. And was with the best of best OPTIMAL CONDITIONS. Well, depending on how the Miami coaching staff and players bounce back, moi’s lame arse tout could be wrong. Just like my forcast on today’s non-conference encounter between the Canes and Kansas. St.

2. I’ve never had CONFIDENCE in D’ Onofrio dating back to last season and especially after Miami’s D-unit made B.C.’s Retting look like the second coming of Johnny U. Eh.

It happens. Didn’t think Kansas State’s defense that stout or that Miami’s defense would struggle. Herbstreit picked UM to win today, as well and a two-point victory didn’t seem to over the top against a 6.5-point favorite — 3 of which simply come from being the home team. In other words, no one saw this beatdown coming. Is what it is. Young team that will have a lot of bumps and bruises this year. So be it. 42-36 over the past six-plus seasons.

No, this one was pretty easy to spot. Miami looked pathetic against a BC team that won 4 games the previous year. They made the ACCs worst offense look all world. I hope other Canes fans dont think this will be a fluke. FSU’s offense will lay 80 on this Canes D. Notre Dame will put up 40 or 50. VT will prob hit in the 50’s. GT will more than likely run for 6 or 7 tds. This is easily the worst team this University has ever fielded. Theyll be lucky to get 2 or 3 more wins.

Admin, you final sentence tells a bigger story. 42-36 over 5 years is actually 32-36 due to 2 creampuff games each year. Is this a deliberate attempt to de-emphasize football or is the UM admin just plain stupid.

I,m worried about UM,s continued existence in the ACC. The revenue sharing pot comes partially from home attendance. Our,s is lousy.

If you look at the other factors, UM is not contributing it,s share. Were were brought in for football and baseball.

Back to the Big East ???

Oh, i know, i,m crazy. But Temple was ejected from the Big East for non-performance. It can happen !!!

As for UM’s administration, two lame-duck coaches in a row before Al. Don’t know what to tell you. Larry was hired for continuity and hard to fire a guy who went 35-3 out the gate, despite things starting to slide on his watch by year three.

From there, fired after year six and Randy hired as no one worthy wanted the job. Four down years ensued, as Shannon never got ‘it’ and in the, the Miami program found itself in a ten-year hole.

Why would UM try to deemphasize football. Stupid belief and conspiracy theory. Football drives a shit-ton of revenue and the only way Miami boosters are going to give ANYTHING is for football-sake. You think the Schwartz family was going to kick down $5M for a new science wing? No. A new football center.

And yes, you are absolutely crazy if you think the ACC would ever boot Miami. Please.

UM, like all major programs, has always played 1-2 creampuff teams every year. The 2001 team played Rutgers, Troy and Temple. The ’02 team played UConn, Temple, and FAMU. Are you saying UM was deemphasizing football back then? UM recently sank a ton of $ into the program including building the Schwartz Center. Is that deemphasizing football? True the admin has raised academic standards keeping some players out but these conspiracy theories that the admin is out to destroy football is nuts.

Correction, if it,s six-plus seasons, then it,s 29-36 deducting “lollipop junior college” games. Does anyone think this an acceptable record for a Major Football School with a national championship history.

Admin, this is solely on Do’nof and his wack scheme. True, we have a lot of freshman but you can tell it’s the system that has these kids looking lost. That soft zone crap just isnt gonna cut it. It’s not that the kids have quit in them, but when you utilize a system that doesnt play up to their strengths they will look lost out there. A squadron of troops is only as good as their commander and Do’nof just doesnt cut it. I’m no football expert by any means, but even I can see the flaws in his scheme and he is too stubborn/boneheaded to make adjustments. Last week Chase Rettig had 441 passing yards on us, this week BC played MAINE and they held him to 219 yards? WTH?? How does Maine have a more competent D-Co than us? D’onofrio needs to GO NOW! Over 1000 yards given up in two games is pathetic. In fact, there needs to be a bloodletting of the entire defensive side of the ball. The D line cant get pressure bc they have no technique and the scheme is not utilizing their speed/natural talents. At this rate we couldn’t stop MNW. If Bethune-Cookman racks up 400+ yards on us then Golden (we still believe in you) needs to get rid of his boy ASAP

I was INSANELY wrong boUt’ Miami not only covering yesterday. But winning a narrow game in Cowtown Manhatten. Because, I do believe beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I got CAUGHT UP in all the Cane fandom hype of what Miami was going to do to Kansas St. and what not. DOUBLE dUh!

And, there’s no need to DISSECT Saturday’s bloody EMBARRASSING-sp. performance. Chit, even TINY Missouri Western ‘ HUNG TOUGH ‘ with the Wildcats and made a game of it going into the fourth quarter.

However, UNTIL Coach Golden gives his longtime friend the bloody P-I-N-K S-L-I-P, your Miami, F-L-A Hurricanes will NEVER win a A.C.C. championship. Let alone be a legitimate Top 25 squad!!

And IF U’all serious, loyal Hurricane college football don’t believe moi. Then bloody watch the next two or three seasons unfold. Eh.

Like I BLOVIATED, even TINY Missouri Southern gave Kansas St. a COMPETITIVE game last Saturday!

It seems to me that we are back to being a weak mid-major program like we were in the ’60’s and ’70’s. With all the money required to run a big Div. 1 program these days, I just wonder if we aren’t out of our league (literally and figuratively) now. There’s no chance of ever having a stadium of our own, no money to hire and keep a top-notch coaching staff, and a frustrated and disappearing fan base that’s not going to drive all the way to the border of Broward County to watch this sorry, undermanned football team get pasted by teams this program used to beat by fifty points in 2001. I don’t envy Golden trying to overcome what he stepped into taking this coaching job. If things weren’t bad enough, we have severe sanctions to look forward to on top of the rest of this raging dumpster fire. This is just a bad program in danger of being shuttered in the very near future. Maybe it’s time to do just that.

Nobody ever deducts “lollipop junior college games” from the big guys. FSU has played more “lollipops” than us…Murray State, Savannah State? Alabama played Western Kentucky…Ohio State plays more cupcakes than Betty Crocker has recipes for. Maybe we should follow in their footsteps, playing small colleges & MAC schools to gain valuable experience & work the kinks out. There was a phenomenal number of “lollipop” games on national tv this weekend….that should tell you something. Let’s not forget that the Shapiro mess happened on Coker & Shannon’s watch…..and that NOBODY wanted the coaching job at the U. IT will take more than 1 year plus 2 games to umdo the mess left by the PREVIOUS coaches. Add to that, the U lied to Gooden

Look, I was pissed yesterday along with everyone of you. As you can see from my previous posts. But if you slack jawed idiots think the Golden one needs to go, then I don’t know what to tell you. This team needs our support more than ever right now. Did I think our D sucked ass? Yes. Did I think the team fought all game? Hell no. But that will come in time. We need to have patience. No one said we would be playing for the NC this season anyway. We ALL (myself included) need to chill the ef out. Hey, look at it this way, there are starving children all over the world that cant even watch a Hurricane game. Now that is sad.

Texas – Thanks for an ounce of logic here. Amazing when some go over the top with the “fire, fire, fire” nonsense. Any fan trying to run Golden out of town either (1) forgets how NOBODY signed up for this job last two times it was offered and (2) is delusional in regards to how desirable this Miami job is nationally in 2012.

UM fans should be counting their lucky stars that Golden even WANTS to stick around to clean up this mess he inherited – one with sanctions still looking.

As for D’Onofrio, he has a lot of work to do but isn’t exactly working with much … and anyone screaming “fire D’Onofrio” two games into his second season – again, clueless. No coach in America is firing his defensive coordinator two games in their second season of a multi-year rebuilding project.

For what it’s worth, Miami is going to be okay. Look, as it has been stated before, every great Miami team was blown out at some point. It happens. Clearly if you come to this blog, you are a Cane. Not when it suites you, not when we are 11-0, not when we are ranked in the Top 3, we are Canes…always. That is the message that Coach Golden is preaching. Remember all the talk last year about “the process”, guess what, yesterday we saw what happens when fans forget about said “process”. We look too often to point fingers, to blame, and hate on this team. Not saying they don’t make it easy, i.e 48-0 to close the OB. With that said, Golden teaches these kids, and I do mean kids, that easy is not what it means to be a Hurricane. The Miami HC job has never been easy, Schnellenberger took a program that nobody wanted and built a dynasty. Golden is doing the same, as allcanes has pointed out, no coach wanted this job, Miami is an unforgiving city. All the talent in the world doesn’t put butts in the stands in Miami, ask Pat Riley. So yes, are we bad? absolutely. Is our road back hard? of course. Does that give the right to levee such hate on the man who is going to save our beloved program? No. UM needs Golden, Golden doesn’t need UM. Trust in “the process” not because it’s easy, but because it is the last chance The U has at being great once again.

Very few people are saying Fire Golden, but most are yelling FIRE Do’nof. We know it’s not going to happen two games into the season, but I would be one happy fan to see him get the boot as season’s end. He just simply doesn’t have what it takes. He is a horrible game day d-coordinator and even though we have a lot of youngsters there isnt really much improvement from last year and lastly, his schemes just flat out suck. Last weekend against BC my buddy and I were watching the game from our hotel room while on vacation in the Dominican Republic, neither of us are defensive experts (hell he barely pays attention to college football) and he kept asking why are the defenders playing so far from the line of scrimmage and letting BC basically use the same pass plays to gash us for yards. Don’t tell me it’s youth when Maine plays BC and holds Chase Rettig to 219 yards passing with a 50% completion rate while we made him look like a Heisman candidate. When you have A defense that gives up 84 points and 1000+ yards of offense (more than any other program in a major conference) that’s on the D-Co and his lame system. This zone crap he is running is not working, yet he keeps trying to fit square pegs into round holes. You have S.Fla kids with natural talent and speed, use that to your advantage. Your scheme right now is basically negating their natural abilities. Hell it’s even evidenced in the games, when our boys played man and were aggressive we made plays, but when you have them sit back in that zone we get chewed apart. There’s a raising canes video from last season where Do’nof is chastising a D-lineman for going around a defender instead of engaging him…WHY! Our defenses of the past have been built around speed and getting around the defender. His system have them engage directly which negates/neutralizes the natural talent, It’s simply inexcusable. Our D-line isnt getting any pressure bc THERE’S NO TECHNIQUE. Where are the bull rushes, swim moves, spin moves, stunts, etc.? I rarely comment on these sites, i just mostly read for news and perspective purposes, but I am so fed up with D’onofrio and his BS that I have been voicing my frustration on any canes website/message board I can find…a rarity for me. Something needs to be done..AG, Canes fans believe in you, but there needs to be a bloodletting on the defensive side of the ball, get rid of your boy.

For starters, how did we let Author Brown Jr?
Second, For canes fans that reside in Georgia I could only find this game on the FOX Sports Deportes channel. Im no expert in speaking spanish but I know they felt the same way that I did. WTF is the defense doing. EDDIE JOHNSON and T. CORN, and HIGHSMITH SUCKED ASS and were always out of position. This bullshit zone has to go…K STATE putting eight people on the line and we come with a 4 man front….bullshit!. if we are gonna lose then at least lose in a man coverage scheme being physical off the line….. a la the lone interception from Mcgee.
This was also a reality check for DUKE with four or five dropped passes. I dont understand why he was lined up as a receiver or as a fullback a couple of plays either.
But back to the defense…if you look at the game this year and last year….same offensive scheme, same plays, They even tried to made Klien’s heismen reel on Saturday(the failed jump pass which should have pissed everyone on the bench off to the point where they should have had blood in their eyes)….Coaches have no excuses!!! IF the Bethune offense marches down the field then I guess U DESERVE another defensive coordinator. If players can be dropped on the depth chart for lacking in practice, then Coaches should be demoted/fired for dumb ass schemes.

Eddie Johnson was one of the brightest spots on the team.. Have no idea what game you were watching. Golden praised both Highsmith AND Eddie Johnson.. Funny he didn’t mention anyone else, who really didn’t do anything else during the game. Johnson was everywhere, and I BELIEVE he led the team in tackles.

Im watching the game where Eddie Johnson watches Klein waltz into the endzone for the first score and where Highsmith blows his coverage on the touchdown pass. Please check the K-State Highlight reel. Also leading a team in tackles doesn’t mean that you had a good game.

Highsmith definitely has a way to go and yes, Johnson was out of position on that touchdown, as well as a reception on that drive, but he does have good instincts and seems to be good at wrapping up and going for the ball.

The shame for Miami in all this – and a kid like Johnson … a Tracy Howard … Deon Bush … or Duke Johnson … is that they’re so heavily relied on right now. How great if Eddie is second or third string, playing behind linebackers that are juniors and seniors who are teaching him – and he’s getting in the game late second half when the Canes are up, honing his skill, instead of being called on first quarter to take down a Heisman-worthy quarterback and asked to help win a big game on the road.

The lack of depth and throwing these freshmen to the wolves — it’ll be fine in the long run, but truly sucks in the short.

Safe to say that Sapp, Wilfork, Brown, Maryland, Kennedy, guys like that, they’d never have been who they were if they had played in this scheme Oh-no-frio and Franklin are trying to play. Point of attack my dick, you’re killing the kids you have playing for you. Strength and conditioning is already a joke, and now you’re trying to teach them to play point of attack on the defensive line? LOL.

As if recruiting isn’t hard enough when your team is being blown out, you’re trying to recruit studs on defense and the first thing they’re going to see is this whack ass scheme you’re trying to teach that’s giving up 500 yards a game and 30+ points a game. Yea, they’re going to want to come play for Ohnofrio.